Plastic in the oceans
Plastic, a problem that reaches the deepest part of the oceans
Plastic has reached the deepest point on the planet, a place — the Challenger Deep — located 11,000 metres below sea level where very few people have visited. This discovery is the best proof of the magnitude of the problem and that the time has come to become aware of it and do everything possible to reverse the situation.
Plastic pollution can be found across oceans and seas around the world. According to 2026 data from the United Nations (UN), the ocean receives 11 million tonnes of plastic every year and that figure could reach 37 million tonnes by 2040. This alarming volume of waste has the potential to severely damage marine ecosystems and threaten food security. Plastic pollution has now also reached the ocean depths. A striking example is the Challenger Deep – the deepest point on Earth, located 10,928 metres below sea level – where the expedition led by American billionaire Victor Vescovo discovered food wrappers and a plastic bag in 2019. How did they get there? Can anything be done to prevent it? Questions surrounding this environmental tragedy continue to mount.
The current impact of plastic in the oceans
The impact of plastic on ecosystems is one of the greatest crises of the present century. Every year, vast quantities of plastic continue to enter the sea, while global production keeps rising, reaching 430 million tonnes in 2024. A significant proportion ultimately accumulates on coastlines, in marine waters and on the seabed. This causes direct harm to wildlife, from suffocation to habitat degradation, and represents a global public health threat.
As a result, international regulatory pressure has intensified in recent years. Since 2023, the European Union has applied restrictions on intentionally added microplastics, while negotiations continue at the United Nations on a global treaty to tackle plastic pollution, demonstrating that the issue has become a priority on the international public policy agenda.
Attention is now increasingly focused on microplastics because their size enables them to spread easily and enter the food chain. Recent evidence shows that this is not simply a matter of visible litter: these are persistent particles that affect biodiversity and may also have consequences for human health.
These particles originate from plastic that, once discarded and not recycled, is not reused. The waste eventually reaches the oceans, where waves and wind erode it into tiny fragments.
Although often invisible, these residues are dispersed throughout the oceans and inside marine organisms that humans frequently consume. Among these fragments, we can distinguish nanoplastics – extremely small plastic particles measuring less than 100 nanometres – microplastics, which measure less than five millimetres, and macroplastics, which are visible to the naked eye. This pollution is already a reality and, in many countries, has made rivers and seas highly toxic. According to the United Nations, it is estimated that every person on Earth consumes more than 50,000 plastic particles each year, and many more when inhalation is taken into account. This poses a threat not only to ecosystems, but also to human health. The damage therefore occurs at every level, from biodiversity to the people who consume contaminated food.
Causas de la contaminación en los océanos
Plastic pollution in the oceans is the result of numerous human and business activities that severely affect the biodiversity of our planet:
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Poor plastic waste management
According to environmental organisation Greenpeace, only 9% of all plastic produced and consumed globally has been recycled, 12% has been incinerated and the vast majority – 79% – has ended up in landfill or the natural environment.
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Single-use plastics
Bags, straws, cotton buds and wrappers are easily carried towards coastlines and eventually into the ocean by wastewater, wind, rain and floods.
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Transport through rivers
Rivers, particularly large and heavily polluted ones, carry between 1.1 and 2.4 million tonnes of plastic into the oceans every year.
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Maritime activities
According to a 2022 report by the World Wildlife Fund for Nature (WWF), each year around the world 6% of all fishing nets, 8.6% of traps and pots and 29% of fishing lines are lost, abandoned or discarded at sea. What’s more, deliberate or accidental discharges from vessels are responsible for the deaths of thousands of marine species every year.
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Product wear and tear
Products such as clothing, vehicle tyres and paints release microfibres as they degrade. Carried by the wind, these fibres eventually contaminate both the environment and the oceans.
How does plastic affect the sea? Main consequences
According to Greenpeace, 500 billion plastic bottles are produced worldwide every year. Once discarded, their destination is often unknown. The figures are alarming: of all plastic produced globally, only 9% has been recycled, 12% has been incinerated and 79% has ended up in landfill or directly in the environment.
For this reason, it is essential to raise awareness of the consequences of failing to recycle our waste. Three of the most significant are:
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A sea overwhelmed by plastic
According to the European Parliament, by 2018 the oceans already contained more than 150 million tonnes of plastic waste. If current trends continue, the outlook is bleak. By 2050, according to estimates by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, a charity specialising in the circular economy, the oceans could contain more plastic than fish.
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Multi-billion-euro losses and investments
Sectors that depend on the sea, such as fishing and tourism, face multi-billion-euro losses due to the decline of marine biodiversity caused by pollution, in addition to the substantial costs associated with cleaning coastlines and beaches.
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Microplastics in the food chain
Plastic in the oceans gradually breaks down into tiny fragments that are ingested by marine wildlife. These particles then enter the food chain and ultimately human diets, with consequences for health that are still not fully understood. According to a 2016 study by the FAO, as many as 800 species of molluscs, crustaceans and fish had already been found to ingest plastic.
Solutions to protect the oceans
The oceans are facing an unprecedented crisis caused by climate change, overfishing, pollution – including plastics – and the destruction of marine habitats. Although these problems are caused by human activity, the good news is that the solution is also in our hands. Manufacturers and governments have a responsibility to reduce their carbon footprint, but the role of consumers should not be overlooked. Every small action matters, such as ensuring waste is disposed of in the correct recycling bin. Consumers have the power to create a global impact.
There are several actions that individuals, institutions and governments can take to help reduce plastic pollution in the oceans:
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People
Replacing plastic bags with reusable cloth or fibre alternatives, reducing the use of plastic cups, plates, cutlery and bottles, and using reusable food containers are just some of the habits that can significantly reduce our environmental footprint.
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Companies
Businesses must play a central role in tackling pollution. As with the Iberdrola Group, reducing environmental impacts should be one of the key strategic priorities. Measures such as reducing single-use packaging, prioritising eco-design to extend product life cycles, adopting circular approaches based on reducing, reusing and recycling plastic, and investing in innovative alternatives can help prevent waste from damaging marine ecosystems.
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Governments
Governments also have a responsibility to legislate to reduce environmental pollution. The European Parliament, for example, has introduced new rules targeting single-use plastic products commonly found on European coastlines, which together with abandoned fishing gear account for 70% of marine litter. Governments must also ensure that plastic producers take responsibility for the waste they generate. In Spain, regulations have introduced new obligations for producers regarding packaging waste management. What’s more, governments must invest in improved waste management infrastructure, facilitate recycling and restore areas already affected by excessive plastic pollution.
Iberdrola’s role in preserving the oceans
At the Iberdrola Group, creating a positive impact on biodiversity is one of our strategic priorities. For this reason, we have launched a range of initiatives aimed at protecting both terrestrial and marine ecosystems.
These measures, integrated into our Biodiversity Plan 2030, seek to reduce environmental impacts through a conservation hierarchy – avoid, reduce, restore and offset – applied across all phases of our projects. This includes avoiding developments in areas of high ecological value and restoring habitats affected by pollution. We also monitor our impact through measurable assessment systems that evaluate effects on species and ecosystems throughout the life cycle of our infrastructure.
As part of this plan, we are helping to mitigate plastic pollution in the oceans through projects such as East Anglia One, where we supported the installation of two floating containers designed to collect plastic waste as well as oils, detergents and fuels floating near the port of Lowestoft. Another significant initiative is Vineyard Wind 1, where environmentally friendly cable protection mattresses were deployed and designed to create more suitable habitats for benthic flora and fauna – species that live on the seabed.
In addition to developing sustainable projects, we are also focused on identifying innovative solutions to preserve ecosystems through PERSEO, our open innovation programme for start-ups, created to develop technologies and business models that enhance the company’s sustainability.